"We've been through a lot, haven't we? I think that every single day. How am I still alive? God must REALLY need me for something… It's been a rough three years. I mean, I haven't even heard from anyone since the explosion… not even that masked fellow's bugged me since then. Do they hold it against me?! They couldn't possibly think it's MY fault. Even though it is… I just wish I could forget it. Can I EVER forget it? People DIED because I didn't say anything... I've had to prevent several suicides… All by myself. I guess this is my punishment, huh? Three years of extensive carefulness and practically NO ONE to talk to about it… except YOU, that is. And I doubt you even give a crap… It's been a rough three years…"
The bird perched on Simon's arm flew off, clearly not giving half a crap toward his cause.
Simon sighed.
"And there it goes. Screw you too, nature.
Simon stood and kicked the dirt in aggravation as he trekked home. He began to tread over larger rocks and leaves to reach his house.
The quiet of the forest gave a feeling of peace, though Simon didn't slow his pace to appreciate it.
Man… It's been three years… can't believe I haven't spoken to them in three years. THREE YEARS… where have they been?
Simon pushed open the front door to his house.
I mean… they could as well be dead, for all I know! But what would I say, "hey, I killed about a thousand of our co-workers because I'm kinda dumb, but wanna talk?" that sounds dumb. VERY dumb… and I don't like sounding dumb. How would I apologize for THAT?! It's practically an unforgivable crime!
He scoffed at the note Amber left on the counter about how she'd left to get food.
Whatever. That'll have to wait until tomorrow… I have a job now, one that's not fighting! I like the people here! I can't give this new life up. They'll be fine without me… right?
Luigi stumbled through town, carrying several bags of luggage.
"Thank you for helping out, Luigi," The toad in front of him thanked, "it's been rough since… well…"
Luigi attempted to cheer up the wife of a highly regarded (and very dead) MVP captain.
"It's no problem." Luigi groaned as he set down the last of the bags, "It's the least I can do. I'd hate to see you doing bad after losing your husband. I wouldn't even be able to forgive myself, if I didn't help…"
"Well, don't feel bad, the kids and I have moved on! And now, we're a happy little quartet!"
Luigi huffed, Yeah, but you can't possibly handle three rambunctious kids on your own…
"Have fun on your trip, ma'am."
As they went out, Mario came stumbling in.
"L-Luigi! The thing in the closet… talking… weird stuff… MVP business…" He panted.
"The thing in the closet is saying weird stuff about MVP business?!" Luigi guessed.
"...close enough. Come on, I think they're trying to reach us!" Mario grasped Luigi by the wrist and they darted off.
In the closet, a dusty comms system fizzed in and out.
"...anyone there?!...MVPs...Gone!"
Luigi picked up the system, blew off the dust, and began to tune it into the channel.
After some tuning, Luigi spoke.
"Hello? Is anyone there?! If anyone's there, please respond!"
Mario, who sat over Luigi's shoulder, and Luigi flinched as a voice responded p.d.q.
"Damn! Finally! Hello! Are you an MVP?"
"Yes, I'm MVP- who are you?" Luigi queried.
"Wait a damn minute… you aren't a six-foot-green-cap-wearing guy with a handsome mustache… are you?"
Luigi blanched. "No," then felt some pride bubble in his chest, "but thank you."
"Oh, sorry then. If you see him anywhere, you tell him that- waaaaaaaaaait a second, that's you, isn't it?"
"No." Luigi repeated.
"Then why did you just thank me when I said your mustache was handsome?"
Luigi tore his hands from his lip hair and began to stumble over his words.
"Well- uh- I kinda… well…"
"See? It IS you! Where'd Alph go?! I know he's with you on some stupid mission!"
"...and WHO are you?" Luigi finally asked.
"Just for YOUR info, I'm the pink-haired girl he invited to join the MVPs a few years ago, Brittany? Remember me?"
Luigi refrained from saying "Nope" and incurring her wrath.
"Uhh… yeah, Bethany, I DO remember you!"
A sigh occurred. "Listen, this'd better not be some dirty trick!"
Luigi winced at the anger in her tone.
"Listen, wh-whoever you are, I don't know where Alph is, I thought he was with YOU!"
"Yeah, right! Like I'm gonna fall for that!" Neither of them spoke until Brittany finally realized, "You weren't joking?"
"No. He's not with you?"
"He disappeared, like, last year! I've been trying to reach SOMEBODY for seven freaking months!"
Luigi huffed and shoved a nosy Mario face out of the way.
"Oh… I'm sorry. But what am I supp-"
Brittany answered Luigi's unfinished question.
"Well, I need YOUR help to find him! Otherwise, I don't think I'll ever be able to find him!"
"Uhh…" Luigi began to search his calendar for anything he could use to escape this task.
"Well, I can't… because… um… th-the princess is in danger! I gotta help Mario save her!"
A chuckle resonated from the comms.
"Then why haven't you started moving yet, I'd imagine you'd immediately go to save her, but it seems like you're just chilling at home!"
Luigi frowned. There's no escaping this, is there?
"Okay." He sighed, "Do you remember the MVP number system?"
"...I think so…"
Luigi smirked at Mario's confused expression.
"Meet me in Sector 12-C. Okay? We'll discuss the rest there."
A third channel accidentally flicked on.
"Ah, crap! I'll meet you there!" The channel cut off, forcing Luigi to the nearest marine radio station.
The bros listened to whale facts for a good twenty minutes, before Luigi stood and grabbed his MVP vest.
"How am I supposed to wear this if all of the MVPs are dead?" Luigi thought out loud.
"Well, the MVPs aren't dead, their leader is." Mario remarked, his mouth stuffed with the (surprisingly delectable) Christmas tree cakes neither of them actually ate on Christmas. Mario only bought them because they were discounted after Christmas.
Luigi's eyes lit up. "Yeah, I can still do this!"
Mario frowned as bits of frosting fell from his mouth.
"Hey, don't you mean we?"
"No, I meant "I," you aren't coming." Luigi hurried.
"Hey!"
"Somebody's got to watch the house while the hero saves the world!" Luigi chuckled as Mario frowned. Luigi attempted to cheer Mario up by adding, "And you'll have the whole house to yourself."
Mario's face lit up again.
"Fiiine… good luck, Luigi."
The distinct smell of a portal opening brought back welcome memories. Smelled like burning wood, like a campfire. If only you could roast marshmallows in a portal…
Luigi stopped his head from wandering too far and stepped in. The zone he meant to meet at was green and had a lot of hills. Also, unlike his expectations, it was night.
He plopped down in the grass and sighed.
And now… we wait.
3 stood in front of her closet, deep in contemplation.
Man… what do I wear? I mean… it's not like everyone's gonna stare at me all google-eyed!
She began throwing away several options until she reached her personal favorite, the simple orange hoodie.
She sat at the front door for a few seconds, trying to find a reason why she even wanted to leave.
Where am I even going anymore? To get coffee? I hate coffee. To see a friend? What friends? Where am I going…?
3 began to ponder this as she walked to nowhere.
A walk isn't so bad, I guess, but it seems like I have nothing else to do! I mean, at least when I had the MVP job, I talked to people, went places… At least when Travis was around, I'd go places! Do stuff… It's just so BORING… I miss saving the universe and doing dumb shit-
3, so deep in thought, couldn't catch the flash of green emerald in her path and slammed into someone going the opposite way. As she turned to apologise, her and the person she ran into locked eyes.
It seemed as if the person and her were just examining each other.
After what seemed like hours, 3's mind began to work again and her face automated to a scowl.
"Never thought I'd see YOU again…" She growled.
Travis, much averse to 3's expectations, didn't scowl or sneer back, instead just went back to a neutral state.
"Oh. Hi. Never thought I'd see YOU again either. Weird that we'd run into each other like this..." He replied, calmly.
"You're not… you know… annoyed? Mad?"
"No." Travis chuckled, awkwardly, "Just kinda… bleh. Nothing's really appealing anymore, not after whatever the hell happened to the MVPs. I kinda quit the serial killer mess. Like I said, without a daunting hero to play with, why am I called a villain? It's too easy!"
3 tried not to sympathise as badly as she could.
"Oh. That seems… bad."
"Yeah. Well, I gotta go do… something stupid to pass the time." Travis turned to leave.
"Wait…" 3 stopped Travis. "How'd you escape the literal void?"
"You learn a lot from five years of NOTHING." Travis sighed, before walking off.
Is he lying again? It's… hard to tell.
3 turned back and began to walk home.
...does this mean we can be friends again? Were we even friends before…?
3 flopped onto the couch, planning to nap.
Guess I'll just follow his lead and pass the inevitable-
The faint sound of someone speaking through a radio caught 3's attention.
3 glided to the closet and threw open the door. Her comms system apparently caught a signal.
"Oh… I'm sorry. But what am I supp-"
One person interrupted the other.
"Well, I need YOUR help to find him! Otherwise, I don't think I'll ever be able to find him!"
"Uhh… Well, I can't… because… um… th-the princess is in danger! I gotta help Mario save her!"
A chuckle resonated from the comms.
"Then why haven't you started moving yet, I'd imagine you'd immediately go to save her, but it seems like you're just chilling at home!"
3 frowned. Luigi? What is HE doing?
"Okay." He sighed, "Do you remember the MVP number system?"
"...I think so…"
3 frowned harder. Hated that mess... Where is he going?
"Meet me in Sector 12-C. Okay? We'll discuss the rest there."
3 leaned too far over and unmuted herself, before quickly muting it back.
"Ah, crap! I'll meet you there!" They turned off the signal before 3 could say anything, forcing the system to the nearest marine radio station.
3 paused to listen to whale facts before running to find her gear.
Where's the button… where did I put it?!
3, after years of searching, found the button. A small button MVPs generally held in the case that they couldn't travel through portals and needed to reach a squad mate.
She hit the button and watched the portal form. She didn't bother looking into it, just jumped in… and fell straight down.
She landed on top of some comfy land. That was Luigi.
Luigi coughed as 3 stood up.
"Oh, HI, L! Haven't seen you in three whole years!"
"Urrgh…" L groaned, "Hi, 3… how are you here?"
"I listened in on your little conversation!" 3 cheered, blatantly.
L sighed. "Seriously, the person I'm expecting is expecting ONE person here… not two…"
"We're both MVPs…" 3 stated.
"Both WERE MVPs." L corrected.
"Okay, we're all MVPs here, are we gonna approach anything else?" Brittany(of whom nobody saw enter, apparently…) snarked.
"Okay, okay… Alph is the reason we're here…" L paused and looked around.
"What?" 3 and Brittany asked, simultaneously.
"Sorry… this just brings back so many good memories." L mused, with a smile. "Now, let's find our missing agent."
...and so it... begins...
Season 3. Filled with random returning people, giving up on life... heads getting cut off...
Do be warned, it might be shorter than season 2. See you in chapter 2 of Season 3...